Mainland Island Restoration Organisation (MIRO)
MIRO is a volunteer group who work in partnership with Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) in the East Harbour Regional Park (EHRP) in Eastbourne.
Aim
MIRO is committed to restoring the forest and lakes ecosystem of EHRP. Central to this is the elimination of animal pests - possums, rats and stoats and the replanting of native flora. Control of these predators will allow vulnerable flora and fauna to flourish again and allow the reintroduction of species lost to the Park.
Location
On the eastern shore of Wellington Harbour, sited between the urban areas of Eastbourne and Wainuiomata. .
Area
The Northern forest block consists of 2000ha of lowland beech and broadleaf forest with an ancient Rata forest. The Parangarahu Lakes area in the south of the Park surrounds the nationally significant freshwater lakes Kohangatera and Kohangapiripiri . This area of 360ha is predominantly regenerating scrub.
Organisations involved
MIRO and Greater Wellington Regional Council.
Management history
2004 Wellington Regional Council took over management of EHRP, set up a 60 km network of possum kill traps and MIRO provided volunteers to service the traps. A mainland island of 350ha was set up within the northern forest block to intensively trap rats.
2005 Plant Nursery set up and in 2007 the first 800 trees were planted at Parangarahu.
2008 North Island robin released in the mainland island
2009 MIRO incorporated as a charitable entity
2009 first sighting of un-banded (juvenile) North Island robin
Access
Free, open year round